


It Got Complicated

by Shade_Penn1



Series: It's A Work In Progress [5]
Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Crypto gets the first chapter, M/M, Mirage gets the second, POV Alternating, conflicting emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-27 18:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21123533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1
Summary: Something's...different now.





	1. Chapter 1

The ring closed, and the storm was literally at their backs. Crypto jabbed the syringe into his wrist, healing the damage from both the fog and the battle they barely survived. He cast a glance to his teammate, but Bangalore was alternating between healing up and yelling at Mirage in the comms. The fool followed them until he wasn't, turning tail back further into the storm.

"I swear, if you went back for more of the loot-" 

"I d-didn't!" Mirage called back indignantly, pain lace in his voice. 

"Hurry up and get out here then. Ring's gonna get you the longer you stay in there." Bangalore said sternly.

"Almost there!" Mirage retorted. There was a sudden gush from the geyser behind them, and Crypto looked up to see the trail of smoke gliding towards them. Mirage tucked into himself, heels skidding along the ground as he stumbled. "See, I-I made it!" he grinned, but he remained bent in on himself, arms folded.

The brief flash of concern on Bangalore's face hardened as she tossed a medkit to his feet. "Get healed up. You do something like that again, we're leaving your sorry ass behind, got it?"

"You wouldn't really leave me?" Mirage asked, but laughed nervously when the woman scowled at him. "Right, got it!" 

"I expected this from the rookie, so shape up, Witt." Bangalore said, and she made for one of the houses nearby. 

"Did you see something shiny and it distracted you?" Crypto asked. 

Mirage huffed. "No, even I wouldn't go back into the storm for loot. That thing hurts." he grimaced. "I went back because you forgot this little guy." he opened his arms, and the drone shook itself before gliding back to Crypto's side.

He glanced from the bot to Mirage, before he closed his eyes and counted back from ten. Of course Mirage would have done something so nic-_dumb_. "I can recall my drone." he said slowly.

"H-hey, I know that! It's just," Mirage glanced away, "it was caught between the cave wall and a deathbox. I didn't know if you could recall it then, and Doc gets damaged by the storm, so I-" he shrugged, shoulders tensing -"I just f-fi-figured your drone was the same."

The annoyance towards Mirage fizzled out, replaced with a sudden warmth which made that irritation turn inward. "It was still a foolish thing to do."

Mirage shrugged as he picked up the medkit. "That drone means a lot to you, I didn't want to see you moping."

"I don't _mope_." Crypto retorted. He turned away when his lips twitched, and he stamped down on the smile before it formed. "Bangalore is right; lag and we're leaving you behind."

"You're welcome!"

-

It was Mirage's fault he was in this situation, as it always seemed to be. It happened the next night, with Crypto up late and his fingers typing briskly at the keyboard. His search finally yielded something. Just a small set of encrypted files, but it was a start. He left the decryption to its work as a knock came from the front door. It was easy enough to guess who it was.

"Hey, Cryptkeeper, are you doing anything tonight?" Crypto slammed the door shut for that alone, and a round of frantic knocking rang on the other side. "I-it was a joke! You know I think you're cool and hot!"

"How can I be cool _and_ hot?" he asked.

"You know what I mean!" Mirage said, then asked, "Please, open the door? How can you hate this face?"

"Easily." Crypto retorted, but he opened the door a sliver. "What do you want?"

"To watch X-Files, remember? You, ah, said okay yesterday but never got back to me on when." Mirage rubbed the back of his neck.

Perhaps it was amusement, or just the satisfaction of getting something _done_ here, but Crypto had a few hours to spare now. "Yes, tonight would be fine." his fingers tightened on his door. "Not here though."

Mirage blinked, his expression surprised but it quickly shifted into an excited grin. "Great, we can watch it in my room. I'll make the popcorn!"

Crypto shut the door as Mirage hurried back down the hall, and he picked up the case for Season 1. His drone unlatched from it's docking station, and he let out a soft, derisive scoff. "What am I doing?" There was no answer, but he could analyze this for longer than it deserved.

It was just a few hours. Between two...friends, watching a show and eating popcorn. He'd go on, but he won't.

'_Better to just get this over with._' he thought, and locked the door behind him, drone by his side and ever alert. It didn't stop even when Crypto reached Mirage's room, and it immediately zoomed inside before the door was fully opened.

Mirage jumped back and stared wide-eyed after the bot. "Uh, okay then." he said, brow furrowed. Then he plastered on a smile, which turned a bit stilted. "Y-you really like wearing your game outfit, huh?"

It never escaped Crypto's notice that outside of the arena, not everyone seemed to keep their guard up. Which was stupid. "I am prepared."

"Yeah, because we'll really have a game this late." Mirage retorted. "It's like, even when you're doing fun stuff you're always..._on_. Just being really serious."

"With you around, someone should be." he retorted.

Mirage grinned and stepped aside. "I don't need to be serious, I'm just that ch-charn-good. I'm just that good. Got to be for the cameras." he winked at the drone, which was hovering just to the side of the couch. "They're always watching."

'_Yes, they are._' Crypto thought darkly. He stepped just inside the dorm, but no further. Mirage stared at him, incomprehension on his face. "I'll close the door." he finally muttered.

Blinking, Mirage's brows furrowed again. The he just shrugged. "Sure, fine."

After kicking the door shut, Crypto made for the sofa with a furtive gaze on Mirage who was putting too much butter on the popcorn. "Isn't that enough?"

"Never too much of a good thing." Mirage said. Rather than sitting down, he switched the bowl for the DVD case. It was only the instinct not to drop the dish that Crypto didn't lash out at the man for the sudden move. "So, you want to watch the whole thing from the begin-ben-start or you're favourite episode?"

"My favorite isn't in the first season." he replied.

"Well, mine's the pilot. Can't go wrong with where it all started." Mirage grinned. He paused after grabbing the remote, and glanced at the light switch. "You okay watching it with the lights off?"

"You think I'm afraid of the _dark_?" Crypto asked.

Mirage's expression scrunched. "I just figured you spent your nights in the dark hunched over your computer doing...whatever you do."

"Whatever I do?" Crypto repeated, and couldn't quite keep himself from being insulted by that generic term. "And what is it _you_ do?"

Mirage's reaction was not...well what he expected. The man's face lit up, and hurried to sit on the couch with a grin in place. "A lot! I own my own bar on Solace now, but I'm also an engineer because I loved the Holo-Pilot tech and I learned e-everything I could, and me and my mom would spend a lot of time going over it." His chest puffed up. "She gave me the tech I use in the games and told me to follow my dreams so here I am!" he flourished his arms. "I tinker around with my gear when it gets damaged and do a decent job, but she's probably the best engineer, like, _ever_."

Crypto couldn't say anything, he was literally speechless. Every taunt he'd been about to make with assuming Mirage's whole retort to be along the lines of looking for fame evaporated. All he heard was the love, and joy, and _happiness_ in Mirage's voice and the sheer pride and adoration on his face. 

Something hollow settled in him, a gnawing he knew would take over if he let it. So he didn't. "Ya. Turn off the lights if you want, but we're just wasting time talking now."

There was a long pause from Mirage, which he refused to acknowledge. Then the man huffed and slipped off the sofa. "Fine."

Crypto didn't glance away from the blank television screen, the blue light of it growing even harsher from the loss of light. The silence lasted just a bit too long. "Is the pilot your favourite because you're one of those people who think Mulder and Scully make a nice couple?"

"And you _don't?_" Crypto was a bit insulted because _that's_ what he expected Mirage's earlier reaction to be. "I don't think we can be friends anymore."

"Promise?"

Mirage's silence stretched on, before he crossed his arms and leaned back against the couch, going through the main menu screen. "Just for that, I take it back. I'll be such a good friend you'll be like, my best friend or something."

"I fail to see the threat to anything other than my patience." he said.

Mirage frowned indignantly. "You don't get to hold the popcorn anymore." His mouth was in a thin line, but his cheeks were puffed up. The glow of the television only made the redness in his face stand out more. It was cute. 

Everything screeched to a halt. Mirage stopped reaching for the bowl, and Crypto thought for a moment he'd pulled the exact same stunt the man had.

"I-is there something on my face?" Mirage asked. "Y-you're kind of just...staring." 

Mouth set in a firm line, Crypto leaned forward. Mirage's face flushed a deeper shade of red. "Your hair product smells bad and it's giving me a headache."

Mirage's face turned red for an entirely different reason. He sputtered and pulled away. "You jerk! It does not!" he sat as far away as he could on the couch though, arms crossed and gaze set on the screen as the episode started.

Crypto set the bowl between them, as if that would widen the distance. It didn't help. 

-

There were many, _many_ reasons not to like Mirage, valid reasons which weren't just excuses. The man was loud, he talked too much, he was cocky, thought his jokes were actually funny and just a fool. A...a sweet, patient, considerate, sincere _fool_. 

And he was too, if Crypto thought keeping Mirage at anything more than arm's length and behind a brick wall was a good idea.

Things were getting muddied, and complicated, and _distracting_. The diastrous consequences is what made the decision for him. A line, a thing set in stone to keep them both from going too far, needed to be drawn.

Perhaps if he were one to appreciate irony right now, Crypto might be amused to find Mirage in the kitchen like that night which seemed so far away. Rather than drinking away his embarassment, Mirage was standing at the counter drawing circles with his finger, while a pot on the stove began to steam. 

"Mirage." 

The man stiffened, blinking at him. "Oh, hi. If-"

"Don't talk." Crypto just wanted to get this over with. For once, Mirage stayed silent. Good, it would be easier to say this. "I will keep it brief. This..._friendship_ must have set boundaries. It would be better for us both to remain professional while on the same team, and that any further...hanging-out not be in our rooms."

Mirage blinked again. "Okay..." he said slowly, brow furrowed. "Though you should probably-"

"I'm not done." he said and Mirage stopped talking. Crypto stepped up to the counter, standing opposite to the other man. "There should have been a line from the beginning, to prevent any...complications. And we both need to keep it that way." He just wanted to _know_. "Starting after this."

Crypto reached forward to grasp the back of Elliott's neck, and pulled him down to close the distance between them. Warm lips found his, and he pressed their mouths harder together. Was he doing this right? Was this a bad idea after all? (Of course it was). Why wasn't Elliott _doing anything_?

Then he was gone.

Crypto slammed his hands onto the counter to steady himself. He stared at the space where a man once stood, and for one ridiculous moment he panicked _they_ must have caught onto him. His gaze caught the smoky blue wisps fading away, and his cheeks flared red with shame, embarrassment, anger or some combination of all three. 

Footsteps hurried down the hall, and Mirage gasped like he ran a marathon into the kitchen. "The pot's boiling already?" Then he caught sight of Crypto, and blinked a few times. "Ah, hey there. You want to stick around and help me cook dinner for everyone?"

Crypto's lips slowly curled into a sneer. "You _idiot_." he snapped, and stalked out of the room.

For once, he wasn't sure which of them that retort was directed at.


	2. Chapter 2

_6:10 Hey, you want to hang-out tonight?_

_6:30 You ok? You've been ignoring my texts lately_

_7:25 Seriously, what's with the cold shoulder?_

_This number is no longer availabe_

Mirage stared at the messages from last night. Three days of being ignored; messages going unreplied, trying to knock on Crypto's door went unanswered, and now he was being shut out completely. Even when in the arena there was no banter, nothing as though to indicate they both moved past the initial hostility from that first match.

This was worse, somehow. Mirage didn't realize the cold professionalism hurt more than being called 'old man'. Not even teasing him with the 'kid' got a reaction. Mirage was dropped like a hot potato and he didn't even understand _why_. Hadn't they been getting along better? Did he miss some 'you suck and I don't want to be friends anymore' signal? It's what this felt like, as though there should have been a sign he just didn't get. 

Maybe it _was_ his hair products. Mirage shook his head. Not a chance, his products didn't have a smell. He checked and everything. 

_'Fine, he wants to ignore me, I can do that too._' It had been the first response to the confusing situation, until he realized that no, he just couldn't do it.

And a spiteful little part of himself said he deserved this for when he'd ignored Crypto during that time in figuring out how he felt towards the other man.

Right now though, might not be the best time for this. A shot in the distance snapped him back into the present. Middle of a match, in what was likely going to be the last ring and held up inside one of the skyscrapers in Capital City. Wattson was so proud of her work in making this such a fortress that Mirage just couldn't complain about not going out and making highlights to be replayed.

And staying in one place did give him time to go over just what he wanted to say. Perhaps it was some will of the universe or good luck that got him and Crypto on the same team again. It was funny in a way, but he needed to make it less obvious he was trying to catch Crypto when he was off his drone.

Oh, the man would talk to Wattson when she came to check on them before leaving, but Mirage always arrived too late. 

Speaking of that drone, Mirage heard it's hum growing louder and dashed into the room Crypto decided to cloister himself away in. Though Mirage just...quite didn't arrive at the right moment, as the drone trained its optic on him, and the hacker stared blankly at the screen in front of him.

Well, too late to turn back now. Mirage could _do_ that, of course, but he wasn't going to let that get filmed. Or this could blow up in his face.

Right, don't think about that.

Mirage rested one hand on his hip. "You know, it's kind of cons-cospi-obvious that everyone's going to look here with your little buddy flying in and out of this place." It was awkward talking to the drone, but something emboldering about the fact Crypto was at least _looking_ at him again. Kind of.

"I-I don't know what your problem is, or maybe you're just getting back at me, but I thought we had something. You know, friends? Last I checked, friends didn't just drop the other one-or maybe they do-I don't know!" Mirage tossed his hands up, and he paced in front of the drone. "You block my number, you don't answer your door, now you won't even talk to me!" He exhaled harshly, both to focus and not come across as desperate. "I'm amazing, I'm great company, and my hair does not _smell_-"

"Will you shut up?" Came the sharp interrruption. Mirage's gaze snapped to Crypto, who was glaring at him. It was the only emotion besides apathy he'd been given in the past three days. And when had he logged off the drone? 

"D-did you just tell me to shut up?" Mirage repeated.

"It's about time _someone_ did." The man replied, mouth set in a tight line as he got to his feet. "You seem to have the impression other people enjoy the sound of your voice as much as you do."

Mirage didn't flinch, but it stung anyway. W-was that what everyone really thought? N-no, of course not! His back straightened, and his hands balled up. "Like you're so wod-wond-great? You never talk to anyone, or you're nice one second and a jerk the next-why are you even _here_ then?"

Maybe it was just due to the fact Mirage was staring at him, that he noticed the slight tensing in Crypto's form. "Stop talking."

"Why, so you can go back to ignoring me? Fine, I have other friends!"

"Like who? You said you didn't have any." 

Mirage's jaw tightened and Crypto didn't back down, leaving them both glaring at each other. Two thoughts jumbled up in Mirage's brain he wasn't sure which was stronger; who did Crypto think he was to throw that back in his face? And that no matter what expression was on it, Crypto still had a stupid nice face.

Then Crypto's eyes flickered up to Mirage's goggles, and the latter started when the former grabbed the front of his suit and dragged him under the window pane. A sharp crack went through the air, a trail of smoke in the space their heads once were and glass shattering on the other side of the room. 

Mirage glanced down to see Crypto was still clutching his suit, the situation setting in finally. A grin lit up Mirage's face. "I _knew_ you still liked m-" he was cut off by Crypto shoving him away and sliding back to his feet to leave the room, drone following.

Mirage unholstered his wingman, his smile tempering into confusion. This _really_ felt like they were back at the beginning. Only more disjointed than it was even then, if that were possible. 

Could this be considered a victory or a disaster though? The next shot just missed his head, and he hurried out of the room.

-

Elliott didn't need to watch the end game fight on playback-it was going to be a highlight just of how much a _distaster_ it turned into. Every single remaining team all arrived at roughly the same time. It became a shootout with lots of yelling and screaming and everyone firing wildly at anything which moved-both Gibralter and Bangalore had their ults charged up so that just added to the chaos and confusion. The ring closing in the middle of it was just the cherry on top.

At least this time Elliott remembered the last time he drank in public, but even now he was distracted from his intention of wiping that final ring from his memory by the knocking on his door. It was quiet, but firm and for a moment Elliott's heart raced just a little faster.

"Hi-" His smile froze, because it wasn't Crypto on the other side. It was Wraith-technically, Renee now, but she still preferred the alias-and it wasn't that Elliott _didn't_ like her, he was just kind of...disappointed. "Hey."

Wraith stared at him with her pale, cool gaze. "Walk with me." she turned on her heel, and Elliott hurried to keep up. 

He gazed around once she stopped outside, the night air crisp and his breath fogged when he spoke. "This is kinda...romantic." he tilted his head. "I'm a lot things, Wraith, but I'm not a cheater."

She levelled him with that stare which was both flat and annoyed. "Neither am I." she said tersely. "But this _is_ about you."

"Lucky me."

Wraith rolled her eyes. "You and Crypto, actually."

Elliott blinked, but recovered quickly and crossed his arms. "What about us? I mean, I know _I'm_ awesome and stuff, but him?" he huffed.

Wraith's gaze narrowed. "Natalie heard you both arguing over your comms." Elliott winced, because now it made sense why Natalie was so jumpy and uneasy even before the chaos occured. "She was worried you two were going to hurt each other, so she asked me to talk to you."

"And you choose to talk to me first? Why Wraith, I didn't know you cared so much." Elliott replied, hand placed over his heart.

Wraith shook her head, but there was a faint amusement in her expression. Then it was gone and replaced with something sterner. "I know you'll likely be the one who makes the bigger deal if you and Crypto go back to your in-fighting." Elliott frowned, but then she added, "I also know you're also the one who's willing to try fixing this first."

Elliott wondered at times whether Wraith's voices could predict the future or if she was just psychic already. It wouldn't surprise him. He plastered on a smile. "Because I'm so cha-charming he'll have to talk to me?"

"Because you'll annoy him until he does. If you do, make sure it's not where everyone can hear if you do both get into a fight and _do_ hurt each other." 

Elliott stared at her. Her expression didn't change, and he laughed. He wouldn't call it a nervous laugh, of course not. He just...forgot sometimes how grim she was. "That's dark, Wraith."

"You're both oil and water-it's a miracle you both haven't gotten into another quarrel since the season opened." she replied.

"Look, this isn't even my fault. _He's_ the one who just stopped talking to me. I've tried asking him, but he doesn't answer me. Well, I don't even like him so it doesn't matter anyway!" Elliott's chest thudded, something hollow ringing so deep it went to his bones. It wasn't true, and he still couldn't convince himself it was even now. 

The thing which hurt more was not even having a reason at all. What went wrong? 

Wraith gaze at him, her expression level and sound. "Have you considered why he's been acting this way?" Elliott froze. "You are a good man, and a good teammate, but you're also vain and self-centered. I know you don't mean to be, but you can be blind to the feelings of others."

"What? Me, selfish?" Elliott shook his head just a bit too forcefully. "I'm the most thought-thoug-great guy I know. Maybe he's just the one who can't handle it, being around someone so amazing."

Wraith was unamused, her gaze piercing as she seemed to stare right through him. "Or maybe he just doesn't like the spotlight and attention as much as you, and he didn't want anything personal getting out."

_'Kind of hard to spill the beams when he doesn't talk about himself anyway.'_ Elliott thought, but Wraith's words caused him to remember just where they'd been and doing-arguing in front of cameras that heard everything they said. Including _Elliott_ being the one who blabbed about them being friends. _'That's when he told me to shut up.'_

"He's been ignoring me before today though."

"Then maybe he just got tired of you." Wraith retorted. Elliott stiffened, and her harsh tone tempered a little. "Or something's bothering him and he doesn't know how to talk about it. You may be dumb, but you're not stupid. You can think of some way to ask him."

"Thanks-I think." 

"No problem." Wraith replied, though paused when she passed him, and the expression Elliott came to read as 'feral, protective girlfriend' crossed her face. "You didn't mean it this time, but don't _ever_ worry Natalie like that again."

Elliott nodded hastily. "Yes ma'am, I got it."

Then Wraith smiled in a sickly sweet manner. "Glad we understand each other."

Elliott wouldn't say he that he ran back to his room after that, and especially not because he knew Wraith was freaking terrifying when she wanted to be. No, he got back to his room and made himself a cup of coffee to warm up and because he needed the energy for how the hell he was supposed to talk to Crypto when the man was completely isolating himself.

The phone was out, obviously, and so was just going there and knocking on his door. He didn't even know the man's email-wait. 

A slow grin started to form on Elliott's face, and he downed the rest of his coffee before digging through the nightstand beside his bed. He pulled out a personalized notebook and a pen with his name on it. 

_'This has to work_.' Elliott wasn't sure which part he was hoping it'd work for-gettting Crypto to talk to him again, showing he could be considerate? Deep down though, Elliott hoped it worked because it was the only thing left.

He stared down at the lined paper, brow furrowed as he tried to think of what to write down. Exhaling slowly, Elliott nodded firmly to himself and started scribbling the words down.

_Hey, Crypto, it's me-Elliott. I'd say you might not remember me, but who can forget this face? Well, uh, you probably want to, but that's not the point! The point is that I'm actually using snail mail-is that what it's called? Never mind._

_Look, I admit I don't understand why you've been ignoring me. And-and I think you're kind of a jerk for not even giving me a reason, but damn it I still like you and want us to be friends. Or is this your way of telling me to screw off? Man, maybe I am an idiot. Not that I think you're right about that! _

_Okay, I just-I just want to know why. If you just don't like how things are-that's fine, really, you can tell me and I'll drop it. I just-want to understand. _

_So, this was, er, Elliott, in case I forgot to mention. Okay, bye!_

-

Elliott wouldn't admit he may have slipped the letter under Crypto's door and fled from the scene-so he didn't. That wasn't to say a certain...tension didn't hang over his head as he spent the rest of the night and into the next day wondering whether the man read the note or just ripped it up. He hadn't even _seen_ Crypto all day, and no one else did when he asked-in a completely 'I don't care, I'm just being nosy' kind of way. Solid method, really.

Then came the knock at the door. "Damn it!" Elliott yelped, as in his surprise he'd stubbed his bare foot against the coffee table leg. He half-hopped over to the door, and he tried to school his expression before answering the door. It was Crypto. "Oh, it's you-"

"You have to be the most oblivious, foolish, stubborn idiot I have ever met." 

Elliot's pretense cracked, and his jaw dropped. "W-what?" Crap, did he have to mess everything up? Was the note too weird? Then he registered the words, and his shoulders rose. "No-no I'm not!"

"You are," Crypto retorted, and something flashed behind his eyes too quick to decipher, "and it would be hypocritical to say I haven't been acting the same."

"Hippo-what now?" 

Hands grasped the front of Elliott's shirt and he was yanked forward. It took a long moment for him to realize what was happening, and his eyes widened. Fists clutched the fabric, lips pressed against his, and Elliott let his eyes drift closed. All tension drained from him, and if this was a dream he never wanted to wake up. 

Though just as he tried to soften the kiss, Crypto pulled away. Elliott tried to follow, blinking dreamily as a hand on his chest stopped him. Crypto's gaze was hard. "This was a bad idea."

Elliott's shoulders slumped, and his brow furrowed. "It is? W-why'd you kiss me then?" he asked, bewildered. "You're really giving me mixed signals here, kid."

"Don't call me that, old man." Crypto retorted, and he breathed for a moment. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the letter Elliott wrote. "This whole...friendship was a bad idea, but I went along with it anyway. I thought making you despise me would make it easier to put a distance between us, but all it did was make you blame yourself."

"I-I don't blame myself!" Elliott said, and stamped down the flush rising in his cheeks. "Is this you saying you want to stop being friends? Is that why you've been ignoring me?"

"No. This is..." The other man stopped, and Elliott didn't think he ever heard him hesitate, "I'm saying there should have been boundaries, to keep this from happening, from having gone so far." he glanced to the letter, his fingers clutching it tighter. "I am not an open person, and I don't know how you got past my defenses, but...I want to understand how you did it."

Elliott stared at him, brow furrowed at the odd statement. Then his breath caught, and he tried to stifle his smile. "You mean, like a date? A-a real date?" he rubbed the back of his neck, and hoped he didn't sound too excited or desperate. "I mean, sure, that sounds terrif-terr-fine."

"If you want to call it that." Crypto shoved his hands into his pockets. 

Elliott snorted. "And what are you calling it? Recona-recnassen-spying?" he rolled his eyes. "Kind of hard to spy when I _like_ you to keep looking at me."

"And what about keeping this between us quiet?"

"Like a secret?" Crypto nodded. "Why?" The man stared at him, and Elliott didn't bother hiding his blush. "Oh, right. You're the type who likes their pr-pri-privacy, that's the word, right?"

"Correct."

There was a silent, assessing gaze levelled at him, and Elliott wondered if he was being judged for something. "Alright," he said firmly, "I can do that. Not gonna be easy, cause I really like you and I want everyone to know it. What if I want to, I don't know, hold your hand or kiss you?"

"We can discuss the latter on our...date. Just don't tell anyone about this." Crypto replied. "I doubt your...fans would appreciate you not being single anymore."

Elliott laughed, and grinned at him. "So I'm yours already?" 

The other man rolled his eyes, and though it was just for a moment-he smiled back, only a slight upturn of his lips, but it made Elliott's cheeks flush deeper and his heart beat so loud he was sure the other could hear. Then he winked, and left Elliott sputtering as he departed.

Confusing, weird-Elliott knew he could call Crypto a dozen other things, could call _this_ a million other things. But right now, he'd settle for calling it their strange, baffling, frustrating, _wonderful_ start of something more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know whether I managed to stick the landing. This one was a _lot_ harder to write than the others, because it's kind of the turning point? I guess? Also, I think I may have also characterized Crypto as a tsundere. Sorry??


End file.
